
Core i3-5010U vs Turion II P540

Core i3-5010U

Turion II P540
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i3-5010U is positioned at rank 521 and the Turion II P540 is on rank 247, so the Turion II P540 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-5010U
Performance Per Dollar Turion II P540
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-5010U | Turion II P540 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-5010U | Turion II P540 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-5010U and Turion II P540

Core i3-5010U
The Core i3-5010U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,157 points. Launch price was $281.

Turion II P540
The Turion II P540 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,160 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i3-5010U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Turion II P540's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Core i3-5010U versus 2.4 GHz on the Turion II P540 — a 13.3% clock advantage for the Turion II P540. The Core i3-5010U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Turion II P540 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-5010U scores 2,157 against the Turion II P540's 2,160 — a 0.1% lead for the Turion II P540.
| Feature | Core i3-5010U | Turion II P540 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.4 GHz+14% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 2 MB+700% |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell-U (2015) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,157 | 2,160 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 737 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-5010U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Turion II P540 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i3-5010U | Turion II P540 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | S1g4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-5010U) / not specified (Turion II P540). The Core i3-5010U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5500), while the Turion II P540 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-5010U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-5010U rivals A10-8700P.
| Feature | Core i3-5010U | Turion II P540 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 5500 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Mainstream Laptop | — |
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